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How They Voted: Legislative Roll Call on Issues Affecting Working Families

March 15, 2016

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO believes it’s important to know where our legislators stand on issues that are important to working families. That’s why we are following up Monday’s Senate and Assembly voting session by attaching roll call votes for three bills of particular importance to organized labor: Pay equity for women; increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit for the working poor; and expanding casino gaming to northern New Jersey.

Pay Equity (S-992/A-2750). The bill to help ensure that women do not experience wage discrimination easily passed the Assembly and now heads to Gov. Christie’s desk. The bill amends the Law Against Discrimination to prevent employers from paying women less for performing equal work and to forbid employers from lowering wages to comply with the law. This is not a party issue; it is a workers’ issue. It’s not a women’s issue; it’s an issue for working families.

The vote was 54-14 with 6 abstentions. To see how your Assembly members voted, CLICK HERE.

Earned Income Tax Credit (A-40). This bill increases the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to 40 percent of the federal benefit amount beginning next year. The state and federal EITC programs are designed to offset payroll taxes for low- and moderate-income workers.

The vote was 51 to 22 with 4 abstentions. See how your Assembly members voted by CLICKING HERE.

Casino Gaming (SCR-1/ACR-1). The resolution passed by the Assembly on Monday assures that voters will be asked in November to allow the expansion of casino gaming outside Atlantic City for the first time in state history. The ballot question asks voters to change the Constitution to allow two additional casinos to be built in the northern part of the State. Atlantic City would receive a portion of the revenues from the new casinos.

The Assembly vote was 54 to 17 with 3 abstentions. To see how your Assembly members voted, CLICK HERE.